Everton face last-minute competition from La Liga club Villarreal in their bid to sign River Plate defender Ramiro Funes Mori.

Roberto Martinez wants to bolster his options at centre-half this summer following the departures of Sylvain Distin and Antolin Alcaraz.

And the Catalan sees the 24-year-old Argentina international as the player to put pressure on Phil Jagielka and John Stones at the heart of the his defence.

Everton are willing to pay around £5.5m to land the highly-rated centre back who helped his club win the Copa Libertadores this season, and have been hopeful of being able to tie up a deal.

But they must now fend off the advances of Villarreal, who have also begun talks with the player’s representatives in a bid to gazump the Toffees and lure him to Spain.

Martinez remains insistent that Stones is not for sale despite the advances of Chelsea and sees Mori, who has one cap for his country, as the man to provide the 21-year-old and Jagielka with immediate competition for their place at Goodison.

Everton have been to South America to watch the 6’2” defender who has been credited with playing a major role in River Plate’s recent revival which has seen them lift trophies including the Copa Libertadores and the Argentina Primera Division Superfinal last May.

But they are not his only admirers, and Martinez must now hope that Mori chooses a switch to Goodison ahead of a side that finished sixth in La Liga last term, qualifying for the Europa League.